Abstract:

This paper aims at analyzing the practice of Distance Education (DE) online in higher education using the metaphor of Choreography of Teaching. DE in Brazil has achieved great repercussions in the supplying of courses as well as in scientific research on the subject. Thus, various models of organization and management of this type of education are noted. This diversity of models is discussed, especially the online education model (Smith, 2003; 2012), articulated with the metaphor of Choreography of Teaching (Zabalza, 2005; Oser, Baeriswyl, 2001). Supported by this theoretical assumption, the teaching-learning process conducted online is seen (Anastasiou, Alves, 2006) (Padilha et al, 2010) as a choreography with steps planned and executed so that teachers and students fully experience it. Different aspects of this choreography are considered: the anticipation of the dancing steps, the scenario where the 'dance' takes place, the 'staging of the dance', the dance itself, and the review of the final product of this choreography. In this analogy, teachers are the choreographers of the learning environment of their students. They organize dances (learning strategies) that once 'put into play' guide the learning process of students (Zabalza, 2006). This organization is defined as visible and invisible stages regarding the actions of teachers and students and may take place in face to face or virtual spaces. This study analyzed the choreography that higher education teachers organize in online distance education environments. A virtual ethnography (Hine, 2004) was performed on the steps referring especially to teachers. This methodology permitted to understand the interaction between teachers and students in a virtual learning environment (scenario) through the observation of their interventions and mediations (dance steps) and the product of the students' learning. Text Discourse Analysis was conducted which offered ample theoretical and methodological freedom for the further deepening of the research. The analysis led to the identification of analytical categories defined a priori: teaching strategies, types of mediation, educational and technological resources. It was noted that there is not much diversity in the teaching strategies put into play in the virtual learning environment (scenario) by teachers. Regarding the ways in which the teacher-choreographer guides and adjusts the footsteps of students, it was found that the mediations can be made to keep students in the proposed objective as well as to encourage student autonomy in the pursuit of new dance steps. With respect to educational and technological resources, it was noted that few teachers expand and enhance the pedagogical space by offering resources that are outside the environment. It was perceived that many teachers working in online DE are still restricted to face to face classroom strategies and DE models prior to the model online. In online education the possibilities of using Web 2.0 resources are immense, consequently, the strategies can also be diversified, expanding the students' choreography. It is concluded that the mediations conducted in the virtual environment, with choreography limited to this environment, result in mediations aimed at the interaction between students, but are still highly restricted to the content provided by the teacher, which does not allow students broader autonomy.

Keywords:

Online education, choreography of teaching, learning strategies, mediation.